1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is broadly concerned with a device for immobilizing body parts in order to permit more effective and repeatable medical treatments. More particularly, the invention pertains to an immobilizing device designed to substantially completely immobilize a body part such as a patient's head, while facilitating repeatability of placement of the body part so that successive treatments can be most effectively carried out. The devices of the invention greatly facilitate radiation treatment commonly prescribed for patients suffering from internal tumors.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There is frequently a need to immobilize body parts of patients undergoing medical treatment. To give but one example, patients suffering from brain tumors require repeated doses of radiation. A common problem with such patients is the need to repeatably position the patient's head in an identical location, so that radiation can be applied only to the area of the internal tumor. A related difficulty is the need for fully immobilizing the patient's head during the treatments.
A number of immobilization devices have been proposed in the past. For example, it is known to provide an essentially flat, U-shaped frame member having a stretch of perforate polycaprolactone mesh material secured therein. In initial fitting of this unit, the mesh material is warmed and stretched over the patient's face in a conforming relationship. The mesh material then quickly hardens as a shape-retaining three-dimensional pattern conforming with the patient's face. During subsequent radiation treatments, the patient is placed in a supine position on a table, and the preformed unit is placed over the patient's face in an attempt to hold the patient's head immobilized. In other alternatives, the patient may be positioned in a prone or tilted position, in accordance with the dictates of treatment and the initial fitting of the mesh material.
Another type of immobilization device includes an upstanding pedestal adapted to be mounted upon a support surface. The upper end of the pedestal carries an adjustable arm member which in turn supports a bite block which fits within the patient's mouth and is grasped by the patient's teeth.
Despite the widespread use of prior immobilization devices, there remains an unsatisfied need in the art for a truly effective way of both immobilizing a patient's body part and insuring repeatability of placement of the body part for successive medical treatments.